Out of My Mind There are many ways to serve

What a wonderful community Pea Ridge is. More than half of the registered voters cast their ballots in the mid-term elections last week. While waiting more than an hour in line, people visited and were patient, despite the long wait. Few grumbled.

The election workers maintained their cheerfulness even though they had worked a very long day.

Everyone pulled together to clean up the room after the polls closed.

Now that the election is over, campaign signs are being removed from the roadways and business resumes.

Now our community needs to heal, said one minister, referring to some of the unkindness that had surfaced during the campaigning.

Sadly, there were many unkind and hateful words expressed either in person or on various forms of social media during the election process. Some have claimed the race was lost due to biased reporting.

Others claim no one reads the newspaper.

Someone said The Times “influenced uneducated voters with a biased newspaper.”

I pray our citizens are more intelligent than that and took the time to make an informed vote.

This newspaper has been in business for 45 years, many of those independently owned. It is a valuable asset to this community and publishes local news not covered by the larger media in the area.

Each of our four candidates have been visible around town. Each has been in the local businesses and restaurants easily accessible by the voters who wanted to know more about them.

Each was interviewed by the staff of this newspaper and asked the very same questions. Each was questioned at a local forum, very well attended. In fact, supporters of one of the candidates applauded his performance.

Each of the four candidates had the same opportunities and said they wanted to serve the community.

In each of our northeast Benton County communities, there were several contested races with candidates claiming they want to serve their communities.

Now is the perfect time to step forward to serve, even without an elected position.

In Pea Ridge, there is the Library Board, the Parks Commission, the Planning Commission and the Mule Jump Committee. There is an Optimist Club and a Lions Club.

Other service clubs include Beta Alpha Sorority and the Pea Ridge Historical Society.

There are many ways to serve this community and many venues through which to do it.

The school is a wonderful place to volunteer.

There, our youngest citizens are being educated and prepared for tomorrow’s leadership.

There are flower beds at the city park that need attention. One council member, Nadine Telgemeier, has taken care of the flower bed at the north driveway entrance to the Emergency Services Building, humbly serving without recognition or applause.

Engineer M.J. Hensley serves the community by volunteering his time and expertise overseeing the many street projects throughout the city. He is an invaluable asset to this community.

One council member delivers lunch to city workers occasionally as a surprise gesture of gratitude for their service.

As the holiday season approaches, there will be more opportunities - the Thanksgiving dinner, Angel tree, Thanksgiving baskets and Heart and Sole project, to name a few. For those who truly want to serve, there is a way.

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Editor’s note: Annette Beard is the managing editor of The Times of Northeast Benton County.

A native of Louisiana, she moved to this area in 1980.

She has nine children and one grandchild. She can be reached at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 4 on 11/10/2010